James a



(N0 Model.)

J. A. TRIMBLE.

v DRAW BAR FOR' STR-BBT GARS. No. 498,334.- Patented May 30,1893.

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lullfllll l Jill!! ythe cars or the hook or other attachment form-UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. TRIMBLE, OF NEW YORIQN. Y.

DRAWBAR FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,334, dated May 30,1893.

applicati@ ined sammy 21, 1893. sain No. 463,245. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. TRIMBLE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Drawbars and`Springs, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in cars, and pertains particularlyto an improved buer and means for coupling 'the cars together orsecuring the Whittle-tree of the team thereto.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of the car, todispense with the customary draft bar connected with the same, and toprovide durable means which will serve as a buer `and as a yieldingcoupling either to receive the link for connecting ing a part of theharness of car horses.

In accordance with my invention the line of draft on moving the car iselevated to about the upper level of the car floor and the force isexerted against a yielding cross-head, thus relieving the strain on boththe horses and the car and facilitating the starting of the latter.

The invention will be more fully understood from the detaileddescription hereinafter presented, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of thebuffer and coupling constructed in accordance with the invention andapplied to the platform of a car, the latter being in section. Fig. '2is a top view of same, the vertical front guard of the platform being insection. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of same on the dotted line 3 3 ofFig. 2. Fig. et isadetached longitudinal section of same on the dottedline 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings A designates the platform of a car; B the vertical guardfor said platform; C the buffer; D the yielding cross-head and E anordinary coupling link.

The buffer C is a casting composed of the plate F having the ange G andsupporting at its center the hollowframe H, within which are secured thelongitudinal pins or guide rods I, I. Upon the guide rods I, I, are thecoiled springs J and cross-head D, the latter being a casting having thecentral longitudinal opening K for thelink E, the vertical aperture Lfor the removable pin M, and the circular end recesses N, N, centrallythrough which the guide rods I, I, pass and which receive and form abearing for the inner ends of the springs J. The outer ends of thesprings J are retained within the circular flanges O, O, formed on theinner face of the front of the frame H at opposite sides of the openingO for the link E.

The buffer C is secured to the end of the platform of thecar by means ofbolts or tie rods P, P, extending entirely through 'the beam Q, and alsoby means of bolts R, rivets Sand angle-plate T, the latter being uponthe platform A, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The bolts R pass downwardthrough the plate T, beam Q and flange G, and the rivets S through theplate F, guard B and plate T. The buffer is thus very securelysupported, and being a substantial casting it is durable and entirelycapable of withstanding any usual strain to which it may be subjected.The rods I, I, are rigid and pass through apertures at the inner ends ofthe recesses N so as to form guides for the lcross-head D. The springs Jencompass the rods I and to an appropriate degree snugly t the recessesN and circular flanges O.

When it is desiredl to couple the cars together a linkEmay extend fromthe opening K of the crosshead D of one car through the buerC to thelike opening of the adjoining car, the ends of the link being held bythe pins M, and when it is simply desired to attach the draft horseorteam to the car the Whittie-tree will be connected by means of a linkwith the cross-head D.

Upon the application of power either through the coupled cars or by thehorses to a single car the strain is exerted on the crosshead D andthrough said head on the springs .,I, which will yield sufficiently torelieve the car from shock .and strainv and facilitate the starting ofthe car.l While the carsV are in use the springs .I will in greatmeasure prevent any material irregularity or sudden ness of motion inthe car and thus promote the ease and comfort of passengers.

The buer and coupling above described arev particularly advantageous forthe attachment of a horse or team to the car, since the draft lineinstead of extending to a point be- ICO 10W the platform is about onaplane with the upper level of the platform, and hence the horses maypull with greater ease and advantage and the whiffle-tree may be readilyattached to and detached from the coupling. The fact that the horsesinstead of pulling against a solid portion of the car exert their forceagainst the springs J is also an advan tage both to the horses and thecar.

Without limiting myself to any special style or character of oar, what Iclaim as my invention, and desire `to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The car and the buer secured thereto and having the guide rods I Icombined with the cross head D moving on said rods and having atopposite ends thereof the receiving recesses N, N and springs J, Jencompassing said rods and entering said recesses; substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

2. The car, and the buffer secured thereto and having the guide rods Iand ilanges O, combined with the cross-head D on said rods and havingthe recesses N, and the springs J held in said recesses and flanges;substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The car, and the buffer secured thereto and composed of the plate F,flange G and frame H, combined with the guide rods I, the springs J onsaid rods, and the cross-head D on said rods, the saidcross-head havingthe recesses N, opening K and pin M; substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

4. The car, and the butter secured thereto and composed of the plate F,flange G and frame IfLcombined with the angle-plate T, the guide rods Isecured in said frame, the springs J on said rods, and the cross-head Don said rods, the said cross-head having the recesses N and opening Kglsubstantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 18th day of February, A. D. 1893.

JAMES A. TRIMBLE.

Witnesses:

CHAs. C. GILL, En. D. MILLER.

